


A Desk by the Sea

by Sou



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: A Desk by the Sea, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, F/M, Getting to Know Each Other, Mostly fluff though, Slice of Life, mention of anxiety
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-17
Updated: 2018-01-24
Packaged: 2019-03-06 01:31:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13400619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sou/pseuds/Sou
Summary: Annabeth and Percy don't know each other when they move in together. They also don't know how much they complete each other, how simple it is. What was meant to be a house (or an apartment) turned out to be home.Basically this is a terrible summary to say that this fic is focused on Percy and Annabeth's time at home (as they go through university). Mostly fluff with some serious moments.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is all I've written so far. I'm marking it as complete because at the moment, I don't have any other idea on how to end it. If you have suggestion please share haha...  
> EDIT : It's completed ! (Btw I did notice some typos, I'll take care of them asap)

Annabeth Chase hated the sea. And the ocean. She hated the crowds of people gathering there during the summer, the rainbows of swimsuits, the shrieking children. She hated the polluted mess they would leave once they would have had spent enough energy lazying around on their towels reading flashy magazines and sucking on melted ice cream. She hated the way her tangled blonde curls would fly around with the wind and slap her face after her baseball cap had been blown off. She hated the sand that would seep in between the pages of her book and wear down the binding or stick to the coated paper and scratch her hands when she’d pass them on top of the pictures of ancient monuments. She hated how the salty air would tickle her nose and make her light-headed. It hadn’t always been the case. She liked her skin tanned, her hair washed by the sun. Once upon a time, she even enjoyed playing on the beach, asking her father to let her learn surfing despite him repeating every time that she was too young and that it was too dangerous. But that was before going to the beach meant something bad would happen. Before she’d gone on her last vacations with her father only to come back to an empty house, her mother having used their time on the shore to pack her bags without previous notice. Before her father had announced he’d fell in love again, before she’d learn she’d be a sister and would have to teach the toddlers how to swim with the tide and never forget their water wings. Before her first boyfriend of three years broke up with her as they had a late night picnic on the beach.

She hadn’t had had a choice for college applications: the best course on architecture was given in a university close to the ocean, and so she had made an effort. Especially since it got her away from her house and the family she struggled to fit in with. Plus, to celebrate the brilliant acceptance letter Annabeth had received, she had decided to offer herself a new desk. A professional one, on which she could draw designs on or write assignments. In all circumstances, she had realised, this desk and chair would be her safe place. Where she would be able to channel her thoughts and create things that would last. Her own personal haven.

Thus when she found out the place she would share with an unknown flatmate had two rooms, one with view on the sea and the other with view on the city, she did not hesitate. Annabeth never turned down a challenge. If succeeding in her life plan meant facing her worst enemy, then she was more than up for it.

Percy Jackson hated sitting at a desk. He hated how he couldn’t stop bouncing his legs madly or tap his pen on the surface of the table, sometimes both at the same time. He hated that the words and numbers on the papers he had to read would blur into a mumble-jumble that drove him crazy. He hated the fact he couldn’t help but feel stupid because he didn’t understand what the rest of the class did. He hated that it made him sit at the end of the classroom so he wouldn’t disturb the lesson. He hated that it made his teachers look at him with contempt, never trying to help him progress. He hated the way the walls felt like they were closing in on him, making his breath short and frantic. He hated how lonely he felt, sitting there, trying to ignore the other students sniggering in his back. He hated how short-tempered it made him, throwing his pencil case against the wall of his room or starting fights during the break after some guy he didn’t know made fun of him. He hated that it worried his mother, Sally, because she noticed how he struggled with his studies and his friendships. He hated that when he was at school, his mother would be trapped at home with his fat cuttlefish of a stepfather.

His only solace was by the sea. Or the ocean. It reminded Percy of older times he couldn’t quite remember, when his father was still there to teach him about all the different kinds of tides and shells. Going by the seaside with his mother was the thing he enjoyed the most in the world right after her home-made blue cookies. Just the two of them, sharing stories and marshmallows while figuring out the origins of the constellations. At some point his mother had decided to make him join the swimming teams of the schools he attended. Since then he had told her a thousand time: it had saved his life. It helped him focus more in class, let him spend his overflowing energy, gave him friends and a generous scholarship to university. Being in the water appeased his soul, made him feel whole, gave him knew perspectives. A purpose.

Thus, when Percy found out that the place he would share with an unknown flatmate had two rooms, one with view on the city and one with view on the sea, he did not hesitate. He was determined to succeed doing what he loved.

 

******

 

Percy moved in two days after Annabeth did. He had gotten her contact through the landlord to ask if she would be there. His mother was busy meeting with the new agent that had agreed to take a look at her novel in progress, and Percy had refused her help. She had been waiting for months, there was no way he would let her cancel. They had hugged goodbye in front of his car, promising to call later in the day. The landlord had assured them the flat was equipped with whatever they might need to live, so Percy had brought the minimum with him, knowing he would have a full week before the start of the semester to buy the stuff he might need. All he needed was his mattress and clean sheets, his box of swimwear, the picture of him and his mother by the sea, a change of clothes, and the pack of freshly made blue cookies Sally had baked earlier in the morning.

When Percy opened the front door, he smiled at the clear light piercing through the large windows. The flat opened on the living-room. On the right side was an adjacent kitchen, with high cupboards and a central island unit. On the left side was a corridor, where he suspected were the bedrooms and the bathroom at the very end. Overall, it was the right size for two people to feel cosy without being cramped. Seeing no one, he wandered in, leaving his satchel on the counter. Although he didn’t see her, he could somehow feel Annabeth’s presence around. There was a recently watered plant in a corner, clean dishes drying on a tea towel, books at the foot of the couch. Percy didn’t know much about All the Angles of Ancient Greece, but Annabeth had told him she was taking architecture so he was sure to be in the right apartment. There also was a small owl sign on her door that read her name, just in case. Percy went to his room, stepped in, and took in a deep breath. The window was slightly opened, just enough to let in the fresh scent of salt that never failed to clear his mind. The walls were of a washed off blue colour. His smile grew. There was no doubt this would soon feel like home.

There was a gentle knock on his door and Percy turned around. He didn’t know what he had expected, but the girl standing in front of him was not it. The first thing he noticed was that she had presence. She looked at him as if she was deciphering a puzzle, taking in as many elements as possible to draw a first portrait of him. She looked pretty, though tired, with her cloudy eyes and loose curls, as if she had been staring at something too intensely before snapping back to reality. Eventually, she held out a hand.

“Hi, I’m Annabeth. Sorry, I didn’t hear you come in, I would have greeted you earlier otherwise.”

“No problem, I just got here.” He shook her hand with a smile. “I’m Percy. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.” She withdrew her hand, glancing around the room. “Are you alone? Do you need help getting your stuff in? The elevator helps but if the boxes are heavy, it’s still a pain.”

“Nah I’ll be fine. Although maybe for the mattress? I have home-made cookies as repayment!”

Annabeth held back a chuckle. “Okay, I’ll be in my room, just knock when you need me.”

“Cool, thanks a lot.”

“Sure thing.”

Percy watched her go, glad to see they would get along alright. He grinned at his empty room one last time, before heading out to unload his car. He would had to thank her later for letting him have the best room.

 

*****

 

To Annabeth’s relief, her flatmate was not a party animal. Judging from his tousled hair and laid-back attitude, she had feared he would be one to bring people home several times a week and sleep out the rest. Percy did bring people sometimes, from all kinds of courses – she wondered where he had met them but never bothered asking – , but she had soon realised he was more the type to have a casual night in, with pizza and films, than a wild project x kind of evening. Plus, his close friends were nice and easy to talk to. Annabeth had never been at ease when it came to meeting people with other interests than hers, she’d been told she was too authoritative one too many times. For that, she was grateful to have Percy as a flatmate. He could be messy or forget to clean after himself when he used the kitchen, yet he always made an effort when he knew she was there. He seemed to have quickly caught on the fact she had her little obsessions. Coming home to a clean house was one of them. She had agreed to take care of the bathroom as long as he kept it up with the kitchen. So far, it had worked out just fine. The living-room was a neutral zone: he had once raised an eyebrow at the couch covered with papers and books, she had pointed at the pile of sports magazines in a corner, and they had left it at that. What happened in their respective bedrooms was their business.

A couple of times, she had crossed paths with him at parties on campus. Annabeth never cared about the way she looked, except when she went out. She liked to feel like the night would be different from the usual study-in she had at the library or at her desk. If jeans and ironic t-shirts were her go to, she enjoyed wearing a cute dress and brushing her hair into a more elaborated hairdo than her simple ponytail, once in a while. To her surprise, Percy wore his everyday hoodies (he had a whole collections, ranging from pale greys to dark blues with winged burgers printed in the back) and jeans. For some reason, she had pinned him as the kind of boy who dressed up when he went out. The best she had seen him with was a creased shirt. When his eyes caught hers, he never failed to come share a few words, maybe a joke or two, and ask her if she was having fun. He never stayed long though, always caught up by a friend ready to pass glowing sticks around his neck and wrists. Tired of finding them in random places when they cleaned up, Percy had bought a small shapeless iron tree that they proceeded to decorate with the sticks. It made fore an odd decoration, something to light up their home. Most of the time, they would walk back home together in silence. Percy had this habit of dragging his feet when he was tired, something that had annoyed Annabeth at first for the noise it made, but that she now found reassuring. She felt somewhat safer, knowing he was with her as they crossed town in the dead of the night. A part of her couldn’t help but think they must look silly, slow walking at three in the morning, glowing in fluorescent colours, yawning their jaws off. The feeling quickly faded though, replaced by exchanged grins when they glanced at each other. Usually, Percy stayed close to her until they each faced the door to their bedrooms. He would then turn to her, salute her with a lazy wave of the hand, wish her goodnight and disappear in his room until two in the afternoon the next day. Annabeth was always left smiling.

The third time it occurred, she realised the scent of the sea coming from his room didn’t bother her anymore: she had grown used to live with it, in and out of the apartment. Percy smelled of the sea at all time, and despite herself, she had to admit it just wasn’t the same if he wasn’t there to tickle her nose.

 

*****

 

It was after that earth-shaking thunderstorm that Percy grew aware of how he and Annabeth had been tiptoeing around each other. It happened on a Thursday night. Percy came home from practice exhausted, having had to swim his way through the streets where rain poured hard on the concrete. The lights were out in the flat except for the night-light they had settled on the kitchen counter for late night snacks that wouldn’t wake up the whole place. Everything was still, no sign of his flatmate. In boxers, a towel on his head, he swallowed down a sandwich, almost choking as he jolted in surprise at the first thunderclap. After quickly mopping the floor – Annabeth would kill him if she woke up to a drenched kitchen – he passed on his pyjamas and crawled under his covers.

Minutes passed, Percy staring at his ceiling, unable to sleep. He went to open his window, just enough for the cold salty air to slip in without splashing water all around. It was too dark to see, but judging from the roar of the waves on the beach, he could guess quite easily how doomsday like it must have been out there. He stared at the wet void a while longer, his heart drumming faster each time there was a white flash of light followed by a deep rumble that shook the walls of his room. Percy liked those moments, where the world seemed to unleash its raw strength. He felt paradoxically helpless and powerful, as if he could take on anything, even if it meant losing himself in the process.

Percy rolled his eyes and went back to bed. He certainly hadn’t inherited this dramatic side from his mother, who would have been growing white hair just knowing such thoughts crossed his mind. His thoughts drifted to his father, to the lost memory of him, to the crinkle of happiness in his mother’s face whenever she mentioned him, when there was a knock at the door. Percy frowned, unsure. He waited until the knocking came back, then got up to open. Thunder struck once more, and he saw Annabeth standing there in front of him, tightly holding a baseball cap. In the whiteness of the instant, the shadows of her face stressed the terror in her eyes.

“Hey.”

“Hey… Everything okay?”

She opened her mouth to answer but another clap of thunder cut her short. Her hands clenched the cap tighter. Percy stepped aside, showing his room.

“Do you want to come in?”

“...If you don’t mind?”

“Honestly you’re paler than a ghost right now, so I’m more worried about you than about the mess in my room you might frown at.” He kept his tone casual to reassure her. When she only nodded, he understood she was more distressed than she showed – which said a lot.

“Thanks…” She stepped in slowly, squinting her eyes in the darkness. Percy turned on the lava-lamp on his bedside table, in time to see her climb on his bed. She curled up in a corner, her gaze silently asking him to join her. He smiled timidly as he sat in front of her, legs crossed. He handed her a pillow to hug.

“So… You couldn’t sleep?”

“I can’t believe you still have a lamp. What century do you live in?”

“Hey! Don’t be rude to my lamp, she’s great at soothing people.”

“She?”

“Shut up.”

“You’re full of surprises.”

“Says the girl who knocks at my door in the middle of the night.”

“...Right. Sorry.” Annabeth rested her chin on the pillow, still holding the cap with one hand. She sighed, her breath shaking. “I didn’t mean to make fun of you, I tend to say whatever crosses my mind when I’m not feeling good.”

Percy smiled again, “Didn’t pin you as the impulsive kind of girl!”

“I’m not! It’s just… Anxiety and ADHD aren’t the best combination when I’m scared.”

“Is it the storm?”

Annabeth simply nodded, a sheepish smile on her lips.

“Kind of pathetic when you’re our age…”

“Not at all!” Percy protested. “On the contrary, I understand more than you know. High level of ADHD here,” he said, pointing at himself. “Though strangely enough, this kind of weather calms me down. But anyway, you’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. Here with me, or in any other situation.”

Annabeth looked at him closely, and Percy was struck again by the sensation that she was trying to read him like a puzzle. Eventually, she tucked a loose curl behind her ear and whispered a small “Thank you”.

After a few minutes of silence, Percy made himself more comfortable, propping himself up on his elbow, chin in hand.  
“I couldn’t sleep either. I was exhausted by classes and practice but… I don’t know. It’s like my body wouldn’t rest. Usually, the sound of the rain lulls me. I feel more… How to say this. In tune with the world, when there’s a storm? Sorry, I’m not good with words. It’s just… You know, I can never truly calm down, I feel like I’m always going faster than the people or things around me. So when the elements are out of control like that, I get the feeling that I… That I finally fit, I guess. I feel small because honestly it’s kind of terrifying the way the wind blows, but I also feel big. I don’t know if that makes sense.”

“… I think I get it. I wish I could say the same.”

As if Percy’s words had smoothed Annabeth’s emotions, she made her way next to him. She lied down on her side, still holding the pillow. Under the dim coloured light, Percy was taken aback by the gentleness in the girl’s grey eyes.

“I only have bad memories of the beach and of…storms.” Her voice was soft and he had to roll closer to hear her properly, thankfully distracting himself from the sudden need to brush the tip of his fingers on her cheek. Instead, he curled his arm under his head, listening to her. “After my mother left…Everything was dull. Like nobody could truly understand me the way she did. Like I didn’t fit anymore. My good memories at the beach became painful, every rainy day was an excuse to be grumpy or to stick to myself. She was my safe place and she’d just… robbed it from me by leaving. So… You know. Being alone, in the middle of the night, while it seemed the world was ending outside… Not so good. I’ve mostly grown out of it now but… When I’m tired or stressed, it comes back. And I hate it. I hate that I’m not myself. I hate that I lose control of my mind and give in to… I don’t know, to…”

“Emotions?” Percy offered.

“...You can call it that. It’s like I’m going crazy.” Annabeth’s voice faltered. Now that she had said it out loud, she couldn’t quite control the sting in her eyes. Feeling vulnerable was the second thing she never allowed herself to be. Percy must have felt it, because he rested a hand on her arm, warm and comforting.

“It’s okay. You’re okay Annabeth.” He managed a smile, “Thank you for sharing.” His eyes fell on the cap she had let go of. “Was it a present from your mother?”

“Yeah...” She chuckled, her throat a bit dry. “She told me that if I wore it, then I’d turn invisible to all evils, even the ones inside.”

“Mhm… Well, I guess it’s a fine move from her…” Percy’s tone was lighter now, and Annabeth understood that he would try to cheer her up with a joke of some kind. “But! And I’m not sorry for saying this, but it’s not as good as what my mum used to do!”

“Oh and pray, what was that?”

The pink from the lava-lamp somehow brought out the mirth in the boy’s green eyes. He jumped up, pulled the covers from the bed – making Annabeth roll and laugh in the process. He wrapped them around his shoulders before coming back to her side, capturing her in his rough imitation of a blanket fort.

“Now you’re in my private castle, no harm shall come to you!”

Annabeth couldn’t stop laughing. Despite the awkward closeness of their bodies, despite the hint of tears in her eyes, despite the fact it looked more like a two-people burrito than a castle. Percy’s goofy grin finished to ease her down into childish joy. Almost elbowing him, she shifted position in order to look at him better. She bit her lower lips.

“You’re a bit of a weirdo, you know?”

Percy wriggled his eyebrows, obviously proud of himself.

“We’re all mad in here.”

 

*****

 

Annabeth was glad she and Percy had stopped tip-toeing around each other. It had improved their cohabitation as much as their relationship. She had learnt a great deal about her flatmate ever since that night: Annabeth now knew how serious Percy was about his studies and swimming, although he was still reticent to talk academic; how much he owed to his mother who seemed to be the most amazing person on the planet, judging from the way his eyes lit up every time he talked about her; how he had grown up without his father but with an abusing step-father that had mysteriously disappeared one day (she had thought it judicious not to ask details about this); how he’d always preferred cheap clothes because then he felt less of a financial burden for his mother; how much he liked animals, especially fishes and horse; how he used to get in a lot of trouble back in his neighbourhood or how much nightmares he used to have as a child. Annabeth also learnt that his third favourite food after Black Jack’s Burgers and Hermes’ pizza was sushi. Out of it all, that had been the most shocking revelation. Not the kind they could eat at restaurants or buy at the convenience store. Home-made sushi, shaped by his own hands.

The exact kind of activity he was deep into when Annabeth woke up at ten that Saturday. She had been cramming for her exams the next week until late and had allowed herself to sleep in. She had not expected to find Percy trotting around the kitchen so early, rice in one hand, slices of cucumber in the other. He had his earphones on, bobbing his head with a funny pout to the sound of music. Annabeth walked to the counter, tying her hair in a messy ponytail. He caught the movement and plugged out the earphones.

“Hey there,” he smiled.

She smiled back, “Hey. What are you doing?”

“Cooking. I know I know, this is a rare sight...”

“Sure is. The last time you cooked was for your friends and you basically heated take-away burritos.”

“Those are my speciality!”

“I think I noticed yeah,” Annabeth chukled. “Why so early though? You’re never up before at least eleven on Saturdays!”

“Dunno,” Percy shrugged, as he rolled his first sushi, “I felt like it. I haven’t done it in a long time. Hope you’ll like them, we’ll have some for more than one day… I kind of overdid it on the ingredients.”

“As long as I don’t get food poisoning…” Annabeth scanned the counter as she said so, curious about what ingredients he had chosen: omelet, roasted aubergine, cucumber, carrots, avocado, tomatoes, all cut into slim slices, a bowl of cream cheese. He must have been at it for at least an hour. “Wow… you’re outdoing yourself here, everything I see is healthy!” She frowned. “But Percy, there’s no fish. How can it be sushi without fish?”

“Eh, I’m no monster! I’d never eat my precious friends!”

“Seriously? You don’t eat fish at all?”

“I don’t.” His serious frown was replaced by a grin. “But I love seaweed!”

Annabeth stared at him a couple of seconds more before going to pour herself a glass of water. “You’re so strange sometimes. I think I know you and there’s always more.”

“Ha, not feeling all that wise anymore uh, Chase girl!”

“What?” She looked at him, brandishing a carrot at her. He frowned.

“Wise Chase?… No that doesn’t sound right. Wise Girl? Yeah.” Percy grinned, “As I was saying: not feeling all that wise anymore uh, Wise Girl!”

It was hard not too laugh at his proud yet goofy expression. Annabeth bit the inside of her cheek, holding back the best way she could. He was such a foolish sight to hold, with his tousled hair, his Nyaquarium shirt, and his piece of carrot. It made sunshine bubble inside Annabeth. Eventually, she managed to swallow back her urge to laugh, and instead, smirked. She grabbed a yogurt in the fridge, a spoon, and patted Percy’s chest as she walked passed him in direction of her room.

“You’re an eternity too young to outwit me, Seaweed Brain. Nice try though.”

Percy grunted, turning his back to her as he muttered that if she succeeded in her academic career, it would be thanks to all the healthy food he’d made.

 

*****

 

Percy barged in Annabeth’s room, shouting:  
“Please lend me your power oh Wise One!” He let himself fall across the girl’s neatly tucked in bed, burying his face in her pillow. Annabeth rolled her eyes away from the design she’d been drawing for three hours straight and spun her chair around.

“What have you done this time?”

“Nothing, and that’s exactly the problem.” His muffled voice was barely audible, but he still didn’t move. “My finals are a couple of days away and I can’t remember anything I’ve been studying so far. I need help.”

“No way.” Annabeth went back to her papers. “I don’t have a miracle solution for exams you know? If you don’t work on a regular basis then there isn’t much I can do.”

Percy shifted position, sitting legs crossed, facing Annabeth’s back. “Oh come on you know I do work!” His eyes swiped over the line of her neck free from curls, to the tension in her shoulders. “It’s just that I can’t remember… I need… a pop quiz or something. Just to refresh my memory. Please?”

“What’s in it for me? I also have deadlines you know.”

Percy took his time to answer. He knew that Annabeth was being serious, she needed a good reason to abandon her own overload of work. When it came to studies, nobody was more devoted than her. If she agreed to help him, Percy would pass for sure. He just had to persuade her that he was worth losing some of her precious doodling time (good thing she couldn’t read thoughts, or else she would have shut her door to him once and for all for saying she was “doodling”).

“I’ll cook for the whole finals period?” he offered. “I’ll do the bathroom for a month?”

“… Not good enough. Those things actually help me relax.”

She still wasn’t looking his way. Percy sighed.

“I don’t know… I’ll let you ask me anything, to say or to do? I can’t think of anything better than that, except giving you my blue cookies.” He ruffled his hair, looking down. “Just… Please. I can’t fail.”

His voice had sounded weaker than he had intended, and that had gotten Annabeth’s attention. She turned to him again, settling her pencil behind her ear, worried.

“Is it that bad?”

“I’m not sure… Probably. The words mingle when I try to memorise them.”

“I see…Okay then. I’ll try to help. How many days exactly?”

Percy’s head shot up, his eyes bright with relief, “Three and a half, counting today.”

“Three days for how many exams?”

“Uh… Four? Well, five technically, but I’m doing good in ancient Greek so I left it out of the save-me plea.”

“Oh boy.”

“Yeah.”

“Well then,” Annabeth got up, stretching her arms above her head. Her back cracked faintly, and she sighed. “We better get started. Go get your books and notes so I can see what I’m up against.”

Percy jumped off the bed, hesitated a second on whether he should hug her now or after she’d saved his ass, then ran to his room. He came back with his hands full, pencil case hanging off his mouth by the strap. Annabeth had cleared her desk of her stuff – a little reluctantly, it somehow felt like he was about to invade one of her most private and sacred place. Unexpectedly, Percy dropped everything on the bed instead.

“I think that’s about everything.”

“… You are aware I have a desk right? I just made space for you.”

“Nah I’m good thanks.”

“Percy,” she frowned, pointing at her desk, “Get over there. I just changed my sheets, I don’t want dust or anything on them so soon.”

“My stuff’s clear don’t worry!” he sat on the bed, settling against the pillows. He rubbed his hands on the cover, smiling. “Those are nice sheets!”

Annabeth looked at him closely. Something was off. Not because he had kept his slippers or had a small stain on his shirt. Percy was avoiding her gaze. He pretended to be fascinated by the scarce decoration around, changing the subject to the dream-catcher on her wall or to the large bookshelf in a corner. He was paler than earlier in the day, more agitated too, drumming his fingers on his knees. She joined him on the bed, waving a hand in front his eyes.

“Hey, we can’t get on if you don’t even meet my eyes.”

“Oh, sorry. It just, this room is really you.”

“Percy, stop ignoring me.”

“I just prefer working here, that’s all.”

“What’s wrong with my desk?”

“It’s a desk.”

Annabeth groaned, “If that’s how you want to play it, you can ask someone else for help!”

“No!” Percy grabbed her wrist as she was about to move away. His hold was tight. She looked back at him, her anger fading slowly as she took in the hint of distress in the green of his eyes.

“Alright, alright. But come on, talk to me… You’re freaking me out a little.”

He let her go, and she made herself more comfortable by his side. Percy stayed silent, then awkwardly took her hand in his. His palms her a little clammy but Annabeth didn’t move away.

“It’s a bit stupid,” Percy started mumbling. “You’re probably going to laugh.”

“I promise I won’t.”

“It’s just… How to say this…” Annabeth gave his hand an encouraging squeeze and he finally gave in. “Desks scare me. They’re…I don’t know. Desks are my storms, I guess.”

“Wha– Oh. I see.” Annabeth couldn’t help but blush a little as she remembered how he had comforted her that night, and how they had woken up half cuddling. Then she frowned, gently lifting his chin so she could look at his face. “Did you really think I would laugh at you for this?”

He avoided her eyes. “It’s not very glorious of me… I’m not proud of it.”

“Percy Jackson,” she answered, her voice so sharp it brought his back to the dark grey of her eyes, “I have seen you running after puppies at two in the morning, squealing like a teenage girl. I have held your hair and cleaned your face when you were sick and vomiting. Trust me, I have known you in worse condition than this.”

“Thanks I feel so much better.”

“The point is,” she ignored him, “I would never, ever, laugh at you for something like this. On the contrary. That you think I could is a little offensive… Don’t you trust me?”

“I do, I’m sorry! I know sitting at a desk is your kind of thing and…” He shrugged, “I told you it was stupid.”

“… No it it’s not. In fact, it makes more sense than me saying this.” There was a short silence where Percy seemed more confused than reassured, then Annabeth sighed and rested her forehead against his, closing her eyes. “I’m sorry. Being worried is not an excuse for talking about offense or whatever, but I am worried. Seeing you so insecure suddenly is truly unusual. I guess… You’re kind of my steady rock.”

“I kind of like that.”

“What?”

“That you need me a little.”

She could hear the smile in his voice.

“As long as you need me too.”

“I couldn’t find my way out of a paper-bag without you, Chase.”

“Damn right you wouldn’t,” she giggled. Without realising, she passed a hand in his nape, first rubbing her thumb on his skin then tangling her fingers in his short hair. Percy let out a faint sigh of his own, leaning into her touch.

“So…” Annabeth ventured, “should we go back to those finals of yours?”

“Shhh, let me enjoy this a minute, will you? Before you go all hardcore tutoring on me.”

She grinned happily. “You’re right, Seaweed Brain, I’m never going to make it easy for you!”

 

*****

 

Annabeth wondered when it was that things had started to change between Percy and her.

It could have been when she had discovered he had the tattoo of a trident all along his spine that spread over his shoulder-blades. She felt a little stupid for not knowing before, but then again they had very different schedules, especially in the morning. The probability of her seeing him shirtless was small if not nonexistent. It had taken an all-nighter on her side and a half past five alarm so he would wake up for an early morning practice. She had been taking a break from her almost finished final draft of a design, pouring herself her fifth coffee to be sure she wouldn’t crash on her desk, when he had walked in the living-room with his shirt in hand, yawning his jaw to the floor. Barely awake, he hadn’t fully registered her presence, and she was left staring at him awkwardly. He had patted her shoulder by reflex as he’d passed by her, had turned around to grab a cookie and a glass of milk, and that’s when Annabeth had been left staring way too intensely in the dim light. In need to make sure, she had turned on the ceiling light. Her gasp had been smothered by the long list of improper insults Percy had let out, his sleepy eyes burning. He had also spit his milk in the process, but Annabeth didn’t notice until much later, too captivated by his back. Percy had left for his room, dragging his feet heavily while passing his shirt over his head. She would never admit it, but when she cleaned the kitchen, Annabeth had had to wipe off some of her coffee.

It could have been when Percy had decided to go home for one of their long break, and had encouraged Annabeth to do the same. He had convinced her little by little, one long conversation after another. She had eventually given in, more because she didn’t want to be home without him there than because she wanted to mend the pieces with her father. Their flat felt empty without Percy there. She felt incomplete. It was colder at night, less entertaining to watch tv, boring to have only healthy food in the fridge, sad that there were no scribbled notes on the counter when she woke up or came home later than him, tiring to clean the whole thing without throwing sponges at Percy for singing out of tune. It just didn’t feel like home anymore. So she had agreed to go to her father’s, only she’d never spent so much time on her phone in her entire life, exchanging pictures or phone calls to share their lives. She had even talked to Sally, cursing herself silently for stumbling on her words at first. When it had been time to go back, her bags had been ready the night before her flight. Her father had driven her to the airport, trying to fill the silence. He had told her he was happy to see she had some great friends, that she smiled so much, that he knew that even if she might not feel like it, his door would always be opened for her because she was his daughter and he wanted as much as she’d allow him, to be part of her life. Embarrassed, Annabeth hadn’t answered: she had thanked him with a tight hug, promising to be back soon. In the plane, she could already picture Percy’s smug “I told you so” face she loved as much as she wanted to punch.

It could have been when they had fallen asleep curled up on the couch mid-way through some dumb rom-com. The plot wasn’t up to their expectations and in any case, falling asleep had become a shared habit. She’d fall on his shoulder, he’d fall onto her lap, and they wouldn’t wake up until the silence in the room following the end of the credits disturbed them. The first to open his eyes shook the other gently, and that was it. But that one time, they hadn’t woken up. They’d slept through the night tangled closely on the couch, soothed by the knowledge that they were together. Their senses filled with the reality of the other. Although she had been the first to emerge, Annabeth had pretended to still be asleep until Percy’s breathing had accelerated. For a few minutes, he had ran his hand in her hair in a way that sent sparks to the tip of her fingers, as if he wasn’t aware of the situation. From the way he hummed and the fast rhythm of his heart, she knew he was. Still, she let him lull them back to some deep sleep.

It could have been when they had both thrown each other a surprise party on the same day, with the same friends. Annabeth to congratulate him for breaking the university’s swimming time record, Percy to celebrate her winning the city’s architecture student design contest. They had both suspected the other when they had walked home together, strangely eager to get them. Their friends had burst out confetti at them as soon as they had opened the door. It had taken them a few seconds to realise their evening had turned into a double party (which meant it lasted twice longer). The whole time, Percy had looked at her with such tremendous happiness in his eyes Annabeth had been unable to focus on anything else than him, thus losing all their games (and all their friends’ bets). A selfish part of her had wished it was only the two of them, so he could give her some of that fire burning in his eyes.

Annabeth wondered when it was that she’d fallen so deeply in love with her best friend.

 

*****

 

Percy couldn’t keep his hands off Annabeth. Or at least, he wished he couldn’t keep his hands off her.

He wished he could pass his hands on her lower back when he walked passed her in the kitchen to grab something to eat, feeling her tense then relax at the realisation it was him.

He wished he could take out the three or four pencils tuck behind her ears when she worked just to move there a strand of her loose curls she would have been blowing off her face for hours. She might even smile at him, one of those smile that made his heart choke on his own breath.

He wished he could grab a hair band to tie her hair up in a bun when she was too busy reading on the couch to bother with it. He had been training with his mother in secret. He craved to hear her sigh as she closed her eyes to feel his hands on her.

He wished he could wrap an arm around her waist when they walked home together, or around her shoulders when they were meeting with friends. Not in a protective kind of way (or not too much, he knew perfectly well Annabeth could take care of herself on her own), but to feel her lean him against him. To feel she was there, standing by his side at the right distance for him to kiss the top of her head.

He wished he could hold her hand whenever he wanted, and hold her back whenever she had to leave, smiling at her flustered yet annoyed chuckle. She would tell him “Let me go!” and he would answer “Never”.

He wished he could brush the tip of his fingers on her cheek when they lied down together in the evening, talking in hushed voices, their faces so close they could feel the whisper of their breaths on their lips.

He wished he would stop dreaming of how much he wanted to lift her shirts off her or mess with her hairstyles when she put an effort into them or how great she would look with only her underwear and his sharknado sweater twice too big for her. He wished the dreams didn’t stop the moment he grabbed her hips to bring her down on his bed and that he had more imagination to draft the rest, even roughly. That wasn’t entirely true: he was glad they stopped. Annabeth wasn’t some dream girl. She was there and he wanted the moment she would stop eluding him to be real.

Percy knew how deep in love he was with his best friend, now he wished he could find the right gesture to tell her.

 

*****


	2. Going with the flow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Percy and Annabeth dive in their feelings like it's the most natural and sassy thing to do (or almost).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this is a better conclusion than the previous chapter was supposed to be.  
> I know it's shorter but I quite like it that way.  
> As it appears, I am unable to write proper nsfw with them. So here's fluff with a bit more intimacy thrown in.

Percy’s secret get-together plan was big. It included ditching swimming practice, cleaning the flat, tidying up his room, preparing food, freshening himself up, calling his mother for some last minute advice, and finally moving Annabeth’s desk to the beach before sending her a text to meet her there when her classes ended. He trusted she would come.

None of his plans involved Annabeth’s early, unforeseen come back, clearly ready to pulverise the world with the sole power of her eyes. She froze on the landing, the door slamming shut behind her due to a sudden in-draught. There was a silence during which Percy prayed any deity he remembered she wouldn’t notice the desk he was holding with relatively sweaty hands (the thing was surprisingly heavy). Now that his entire life flashed in front of his eyes, Percy thought that maybe, this last step wouldn’t have been necessary and that maybe he should have asked for permission or at least test the waters before he considered laying a hand on her most prized possession. From the way she was staring at him, Percy knew he was in deep, deep trouble.

 

Annabeth stared at Percy in a way she knew meant he was in deep, deep trouble. And so he should be. Just because seeing him in fit jeans and an ironed shirt made her knees buckle and her throat dry didn’t mean she was ready to pass a blind eye on what she had caught him red handed in. Not yet. Not without making him sweat a little because that was her desk in his hands. He may as well have brought home a spider.

“Perseus Jackson!” Annabeth bit back the pleasure of seeing him jolt up at the razor-sharp tone of her voice, and walked to him, pointing an accusing finger at him, “In the name of all that’s holy out there you better start explaining what’s going on or I swear you’ll remembered my wrath!”

The tip of her finger poked Percy’s nose, and he squinted his eyes for a second. Then he smiled shyly, still holding the desk in between them.

“So… Bad day, uh?”

“Not even close to it,” she shook her head, as if to dismiss the thought. “Stop distracting me, just answer please.”

“I’m distracting you?”

“Percy!”

“Annabeth?”

His growing goofy grin was infuriating. But in a good way.

“Do you really think I don’t see the elephant in the room?”

“Elephant?” Percy let go of the desk to pretend he was looking around, searching for an elephant he might have missed. “Are you sure you’re not seeing things?”

 

Percy knew he’d won. Not because Annabeth’s mouth twitched in a non-threatening way for the first time since she’d arrived, but because she did something that surprised him even more. She dropped her stuff on the floor, climbed on the desk, and pulled him into a rough kiss (still, with an exasperated sigh). It was nothing like he expected. There weren’t fireworks, nor did the world fade in the background so that the action would focus on them. His brain short-circuited. He forgot how to breathe and to close his eyes. A short spasm agitated his hand, trying to send him a signal his melted heart couldn’t understand. Eventually, Annabeth moved away before he could fully register what was happening.

“So… That uh… You escalated quickly,” was all his mouth could babble out.

Which was obviously the wrong thing to say because Annabeth didn’t try to hide her hesitation on whether she should slap him, or give up. She chose the latter. Rolling her eyes in disbelief, she turned around, about to climb down. Percy finally reacted. He wrapped his arms around her waist tightly and pulled her to him so he could bury his face in her messy curls.

“Percy, let me go.”

He shook his head, refusing to loosen his hold.

“I’m sorry. I really am. You turned my brain into actual seaweed with a move like that.”

“Percy.”

She sounded a little less disappointed, and Percy took it as a good sign. Or tried to.

“You drive me crazy too,” he muttered.

“What?”

He took a deep breath, to make sure her scent would linger within him, then rested his forehead on her shoulder.

“The thing you were trying to tell me just then. I got it, I’m not a complete fool yet.”

“Questionable,” she scoffed.

He bump his head against her. “Don’t ruin our moment.”

“My bad. You were saying?”

“You know what I was saying. I got you Annabeth. You drive me crazy too.”

Annabeth didn’t answer. She didn’t want to tell him she was smiling ear to ear yet. She wanted to keep to herself the tingling sensation spreading through her body a little longer. He probably knew anyway, from the way she leant against him and grabbed his hands to lace their fingers. She waited until it felt safe enough to ask Percy to let go without him refusing because she might leave. If there was one place she was going, it certainly wasn’t out the front door nor alone. Once he’d withdrew his arms and pecked her neck in such a natural way she wondered where she found the strength to go so slow, Annabeth turned around and faced Percy.

Did he have any idea of the effect he had on her? With his untameable bed hair, his lean figure and narrow hips, his adoring (and adorable) sea green eyes. His creased collar, only trace of his usual dishevelled self, left by her. Annabeth couldn’t quite say how in such a short amount of time (what were months in a lifetime?) he had come to occupy such big place in her life. Percy was her friend and confident, the one who knew her better than she knew herself sometimes. The one who, somehow, always managed to be there, for and with her, no matter what. He questioned her, challenged her, but never doubted her. She couldn’t explain it, it made no sense, but she knew that Percy would follow her through hell if needed, if only to draw a smile out of her in the worst of times. She’d grown into a happier, smarter, more social person since he’d come into her life. She didn’t even want to think about what it would be like if he suddenly disappeared. If he walked out. Vanished.

“Hum… Annabeth?”

She snapped back to him. He pointed at her hand clenching the end of his shirt.

“You’re creasing my clothes. Again. Not that I have anything against it, it’s kind of hot. But you don’t look so happy. Is there another elephant in the room I have no knowledge of?”

Her faint chuckle turned into a proper laugh as she let go of him. “Driving crazy” was one way to put it, indeed. Once she calmed down, Annabeth got off the desk and took one of Percy’s hands in hers.

“You’re right, I’m sorry.”

“I’m right?”

“Let me finish before you get all cocky.”

“Of course.”

She smiled, cupping his face with her free hand, “I am happy Seaweed Brain. Very, very happy. And you’re right, I haven’t done a good job at showing it. So here’s my proposition.”

“Yes?”

“You help me put back that desk in it’s rightful place, and then we’ll think of something to show you how happy I am.”

“And by thinking…” Percy stepped closer, his chest brushing against hers, “you mean doing. You know that’s more my thing.”

“Well,” she glanced down at their hands, “you do owe me a kiss.” Her eyes met his, sparkling just as brightly. “I’m sure we can find a satisfying arrangement.”

 

*****

 

Waking up with Annabeth Chase in his arms was something Percy could get used to. They had, on a few occasions, shared a bed. Once or twice, during particularly windy nights, he had felt Annabeth crawl under the covers to join him, nestling her shivering body against his back. He’d always wake up alone though, either because she’d gone out already, or because she was busy pretending she had spent the night in her room. She was sure he was asleep and he would never tell her he awoke the moment she touched him, ready to slay whatever demons came to haunt her at night. Percy also didn’t want to admit that her presence cast out his own demons, and that his most relaxing nights were the ones he’d share with her. The sheets were cold when he woke up, still creased with the shape of her. He usually rolled to her side of the bed and buried his face in the pillow she had used, until he found himself creepy – if not pathetic – and decided to get moving.

As it turned out, Annabeth was warm. Now that he held her, all flesh and bone, she felt more real than never before. Her skin wasn’t as smooth and intact as he had imagined but he liked it. He liked that she had faint childhood scars on her knees from the times she had scrapped them playing outdoors, or that her hips had stretch marks from where she had grown too fast too quick. It told a Annabeth nobody knew of, the one hidden behind books and marble constructions. He liked the way it felt against his lips, when he kissed her the first and hundredth time. Percy liked the imperfect. The damp curls sticking to her face with sweat or tugging at her mouth shaped in a silent “oh!” ; the red of her cheeks that somehow spread to her neck ; the uneven panting that rose and fell out of her chest ; the mess of her hands trying to hold on to him but never finding the right place to settle on ; the awkward elbowing, and mumbling for consent every time he found a new patch of skin to play with, also. But most of all, he liked how simple it was, to expose themselves to one another. Like all first times, there was that initial shyness and “are you sure?” phase, although it was soon replaced by casual conversations that allowed them to catch their breath and think that maybe they were done when, in fact, they were not. Somehow Percy hoped they would never be done: that he would never stop feeling her giggle mindlessly when he tickled her with kisses, that she would never stop making him gasp in surprise when she found the exact place he wanted her to go to, that he’d always tangle his hands in her hair, and that she’d always give his nose a light bite to pretend she was mad whenever he said something improper in the middle of talking when in fact he should have been whispering those same things in her ear. Percy was done the moment she brushed her fingers in his lower back, just on his weak spot, with such gentleness he thought he’d cry. He did a little, but he hid it in the crook of her neck. Not that he minded her seeing him weak. He was sure she’d worry and stop what she was doing, and there was no way he would let that happen.

They had no idea what time it was when they finally fell asleep, but the sun was up when Percy cracked an eye open. He rubbed small circles just under her navel, leaving kisses on her shoulder waiting for the moment she would shift and make herself more comfortable against him. When Annabeth wasn’t a morning person, she was nearly impossible to wake up. So he kissed her over and over again until she patted his head lazily to ask him to stop – which he didn’t.

“Morning Wise Girl…”

“…It’s too early for morning, go back to sleep…”

Percy smiled to himself because he could barely make out half of what she had said.

“Yeah you’re right. Let’s take the day off and spend it here.” He let one of his hands trail down along her thigh.

“Uh-uh…”

“We could just prolong the night…”

“Yeah?”

He brought his hand a little more on the inside. “…Forget about yesterday a while longer.”

“What about yester –” Annabeth gasped. “Oh my god yesterday!” She sat up in a hurry, pushing Percy off so hard he almost rolled off the bed. She combed her hair back as she looked around, searching for her alarm clock. “What time is it??”

“No idea, you covered the clock with my boxers around three in the morning.”

Annabeth gasped again, snatching the alarm off the bedside table. She stared in horror at the large 11:24am glowing red.

“I’m late! Where’s my phone I must have a million missed calls and texts from my supervisor!”

She leaned over Percy to look at the floor on his side of the room. He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, forcing himself to stare at the ceiling and not at the traces he had left on her very much naked body laid right over him. Then she suddenly stopped, and gasped once more.

“Okay can you stop doing that in such a sexy way? It’s maddening!”

“Holy crap!” Annabeth ignored him. “Ho-ly crap! I slapped him!”

“Seriously, now you remember?”

Annabeth looked at him, too shocked to notice his mocking tone. “Percy this is the crisis of a life time! I slapped my teacher in the face with my purse for saying Greek Architecture was old fashioned and then I lectured him for fifteen minutes about how good it was! And now I’m never going to get that internship I worked so hard for!”

“Okay first, breathe. And maybe sit away because it’s hard to think properly with your chest so close to my face.”

He waited until she moved to stretch and sit by her side. He took her hands in his and looked at her in the eyes.

“Now listen to me. That guy is a jerk and he had it coming. A professor that goes on disrespecting his student’s passion and pretending they’re gods or whatever don’t deserve half of your attention. Maybe the slap was a bit much but honestly? I’d punch him anytime for that kind of attitude. You’re gonna get that internship, not because some hipster old geezer put you up for it, but because you earned it. Damn it Annabeth, if anyone deserves that spot it’s you. You work twice as hard as anybody and you love everything about the job. If they don’t pick you, then they’re morons who lost their best chance at reaching the top!”

“…You really think that?”

“Uh, yeah? You’re Annabeth Chase. Smartest, toughest, most dedicated person I know.” He smiled. “Most beautiful as well, but they don’t need to know that about you.”

“Wow.”

“What?”

“I don’t know, it’s kind of hot when you say that stuff.”

Percy sent her a crooked grin, “Well it’s kind of hot when you look like you’re about to judo flip me out of anger or lust, so that makes us even.”

“Oh, I was totally going to judo flip you yesterday!” Annabeth laughed, remembering his face when she had walked in the apartment.

“What about now?”

She grinned and bit the tip of his nose before giving him a quick kiss.

“Now I’m gonna grab that phone and call the university to check on my situation.”

Percy pouted and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her down on the mattress with him.

“That can wait! We have things to do and discuss!”

“Like what?” she protested, although she didn’t try to free herself from his embrace, “the way you drool in your sleep?”

“Do not!”

“Uh yes you do. But don’t worry, I like you the way you are.”

Percy blushed so hard he let her go. “You what?”

Annabeth lied down next to him, propping herself up on her elbows to face him. She blew off a lost curl on her forehead, smiling. “I thought I was clear: I like you Seaweed Brain.”

He sighed, looking at her with both joy and frustration. “You’re so unfair. Why do you always say the most important things before I get to do it?”

“Natural talent, I suppose.” She smirked, slowly climbing on top of him, “What are you going to do about it, anyway?”

 

Oh there were a few things Percy could think of.


End file.
